1.24.2005

DC DOES NOT STAND FOR "DEAD CRUNK"

so Bush got re-instated on thursday (yeah yeah, i know i'm a bit late. . . whatever, i had a really strange weekend). from all accounts on the mainstream media it was just a fun little party and everyone hung out and had a grand old time. they seemed to have missed the utter chaos (which at times got so bad it stopped Bush's motorcade) swirling all around the inauguration. mass arrests, hand-to-hand combat (you can always count on the anarchists for that), and a very liberal use of pepper spray and tear gas. below is a list of on-scene reports complied by Indymedia as they were happening. the top of the list starts at the end of the day and goes backwards. so i would recommend scrolling to the bottom and reading up. there is also a link to a summary article at the bottom. go ahead, get infuriated. . . it's good for the circulation.

# 12:30am New reports from Columbia Road/18th street says bricks were thrown, windows broken; Protesters were hemmed into one end of alley; 100 to 150 arrests appear to have been made; some marchers managed to get out; # 12:09pm The two buses on 18th street are gone, as are a group of protestors who were arrested; police seem to be about to disperse; # 11:59pm Police have assaulted DC Radio Co-Op reporter Darby Hickey for the second time during the day; police warned the reporter to "take a walk" and leave the scene, and then she was shoved; 30 more riot cops marched up to the scene and more arrests are taking place; the entire section of Columbia Road has been shut down, and the number of arrests appears to be in excess of 50 people; # 11:52pm March turned onto 18th Street and marchers were blocked in; heavily-armed police are now detaining and arresting demonstrators, and there are 2 buses parked on 18th and another 4 buses parked on Columbia, but so far nobody has been placed in the buses; a helicopter is overhead spotlighting the scene; # 11:46pm 100 riot police forming up at 18th and Belmont, and all roads and allies off Columbia Road are being closed off; protesters are now pinned in and are not allowed to leave; # 11:22pm Large march of 150 or more people is now moving down Columbia Road through Adams Morgan; they have occupied the entire left lane of the road approaching 18th and Columbia, chanting "Bring the War Home"; the marchers are converging on a hotel; # 8:09pm Police are reporting that Union Station has been cleared of "pedestrian" problems, meaning protesters; police are also reportedly moving in to block what they call "pedestrian traffic" into Columbus Circle, which is a closed area, and it is unclear if this reference to "pedestrians" means "protesters"; # 7:25pm Republican assaulted a photographer taking pictures, while police looked on; no action was taken by the police; # 7:10pm March has taken over one entire side of Massachusettes Avenue; # 7:10pm March is now going out of Chinatown onto Massachusettes Avenue towards Union Station; about 200 people; police have been attempting to follow, but road blockades have prevented police vehicles from following; # Unpermitted march now at McPherson Square; # Arrest at 15th and M at spontaneous march; # 3:45 Coffins carried by protestors are burning; # 3:44 At least 30 riot-police at 14th and Pennsylvania; stand-off between police and protestors; whole area is filled with pepper-spray and tear-gas; 16 mainstream journalists observed getting sprayed by police with pepper-spray; # 3:38 Police now sending reenforcements to 15th and H street; # 3:33 Police reporting that one of two officers injured at 14th and Pennsylvania has a broken arm; # 3:32 Protesters are pushing through gates at 13th and Pennsylvania; # 3:31 Two women arrested at 13th and Pennsylvania; # 3:20 Police snipers appearing on rooftops around 14th and Pennsylvania; # 3:20 Two officers reported injured at 14th and Pennsylvania; mainstream journalists being hit and pepper-sprayed by police; # 3:18 Pepper spray and tear-gas directed at protestors at 15th and Pennsylvania; at least 50 injured protestors; reports from police of "chest pains" in protestor; mainstream media journalists being hit with pepper spray; reports of bleeding from injured protestors; # 3:18 Three sections of fence on inaugural parade route now broken down by protestors; fence blocking off parade route has collapsed; protestors battling police in streets; police still responding with pepper spray and tear gas; # 3:15PM: Much of the first 3 blocks of Pennsylvania has a significant anti-Bush presence, hard to pick pro-bush demonstrators out of some segments. # 3:05PM: Spot in the fense near 14 and Penn, near Willard Hotel, where they've rattled the fense, gotten it knocked over or bent over twice, MPD pepper spray. Extra police are being deployed to this area. # 2:57PM: Unconfirmed reports of 4 arrests at 8th and D NW # 2:56PM: Pepper sprayed anarchists at 11th and E NW # 2:52PM: Protesters at 14th and Penn have been "contained" -- surrounded by the police, according to one call. # 2:50PM: Some anarchists at 14th and Penn are trying to pull-down barricades, break through check-points. Check-points are being closed-down by the police. Protests at 16th and H going well. (20 people laying on ground) # 2:33PM: Flags being burned at 14th and Penn. Some callers report there has been a fight of some sort between anarchists burning a flag and a Bush-supporter trying to take the flag from them. # 1:50PM: Possible splinter group heading from D & 7 to Capitol area. Riot police lining the streets at Penn & 14th and maybe 1,000 anti-bush protesters in the area there. # 1:45PM: Police car at Counter-Inaugural space has left, what appears to be a plainclothes cop is still hanging out by the front access. # 1:43PM: "Gas" at 7th and D NW # 1:38PM: There's a police car (#137, MPD?) in front of the Counter-Inaugural convergence space. # 1:34PM: Police being dispatched to Pershing park, report of arrests at D and 7th. # 1:16PM: 1 uncorroborated report of rubber bullets, snow balls thrown by some activists, several people say at least 2,000 anarchists. # Die-in at 16th and H, a couple hundred people "dead," organizers say they want more people to join them. # 1:10PM: 1 person down, hit by pepper spray, maybe physical force between 7th and 8th on G NW, police tried to prevent one "anarchist" march from linking up with another, things are "heating up fast." One DC Radio Coop/IMC contributor has also been hit by pepper spray. No arrests yet. # 12:45PM: DAWN march is in the vicinity of McPhearson Square, people are shouting "whose streets, our streets!" Mood is "serious, but energetic." 12:53: The square is filling up, plenty of police. * 12:43: "Anarchist march" at 13th and L, say the police around them were drawn away by "something else." * 12:35PM: One arrest reported on "P circle," P street near Dupont or Logan? Choppers and police cars heard converging on an area near Logan/in Shaw. * During Bush's speech, Code Pink held up banners "Bring the troops home" and shouted. Police immediately took them away. After that another group shouted, they were taken away. 2 more protests following that. Members of the audience appluaded the police actions, shouted "USA USA," and some through snowballs while other people tried to block cameras from covering the protesters. Public radio noted this very briefly, and the CNN noted and covered none of it as far as we can tell. * 12:15PM Splinter group broke away from DAWN march at 16th and Q NW, maybe 200-300 ppl says observer. * 12:09 Billionaires for Bush finished auction of Social Security and Arctic Wildlife Reserve at FDR Memorial. * 11:55AM: Police chatter estimates DAWN (Malcom X/Meridian Park) march at 10,000 * 11:50 am DAWN march from MalcomX park just started with 5-800 going down 16th street. Police presence but not too heavy. People from Maine, Michigan, East Coast corridor. Primarily younger protestors, but people who have protested before. College students from Maine. 9 jump out vans are following them behind. * 11:41AM: Marches have left Dupont Circle and Malcom X/Meridian Park * 11:31AM: Bush is about to be introduced at the inauguration platform * DC Indymedia has been having cache/mirror dns issues. They may be resolved. Nothing nefarious going on. * The president preparing to go to the Capitol, "Operation Primary Package" is underway * 10:38AM: TSA confirms that there was a 2-car derailment, all trains are being rerouted to New Carrolton, Union Station is "shut down" says TSA. * 10:10AM: An uncorroborated report of a man in a suit, "dressed like a congressman," arrested at the "yellow gate," Independence and S. Capitol. Who he was and what he was arrested for is unknown. * 9:41AM: Motorcade moving through at Washington and C streets. * 9:32AM: Checkpoints B, C and E are open for access to the security zone around the inauguration * 9:06AAM: The critical mass reached U and 11 NW * 9:01AM: 60-75 Critical Mass riders came by the DC Indymedia Space. They are continuing their ride with cheers and high spirits. Reports are that the police are staying relatively cool but are following the ride with at least 1 jump out van. * 8:52AM: Critical Mass has reached the Counter-Inaugural convergence space with no reported trouble. # 12:30am New reports from Columbia Road/18th street says bricks were thrown, windows broken; Protesters were hemmed into one end of alley; 100 to 150 arrests appear to have been made; some marchers managed to get out;

coming to you from the soon to be released new Iron & Wine album "Woman King," here is the very choice title track of said album. something cheerful and pleasant to counteract the potentially nasty taste left in your mouth by today's post.